Archive of BMW Motorrad Club Cape (2006 - 2019)

I've polled the regular marshals.

I am two marhals short, glenda and Esther are in country so will not make the day.

So lets here it from those marshals who attended the August training.

Hi Andy,

as discussed, I am available at any time.

P

WELL DONE GUYS AND A BIG VOTE OF THANKS.

Yesterday was more hectic than ever before- mainly because the organisers used us far more than before.

I was on-scene control for many inicdents, even if not FBOS at all.

Having a huge bike to park in the path to protect downed cyclists made a significant difference and a barrier. we could control and work the scene in comparative safety.

I ferried no less than 3 paramedics from ambulances, short distances to the scene of a fall. mostly back upstream via side riad or even the soft shoulder.

While all six of METROS Suzuki V-Strom event bikes fully kitted with red lights and rescue gear were evident- as well as the one they hired for the event, I feel they were not deployed as evectively as they could have been, and from my perspective only ever saw them patrolling or static, looking bored. I stopped to chat to a few of them.

The esplanade from the sharp right at Sea Point to the finish line was the hottests spot for bad spills as exhausted riders missed a gear, or a touched a rear wheel and went arse over kettle.

I covered 436 kilometers and my neck was stiff when I eventually got home.

Charles did 476km on the day and 11 hours saddle time.

I also had 11 hours saddle time.

LESSON FOR ALL MARSHALS

Please avoid crossing the time keeper mat.

If there is a way to go around it, DO.

If you absolutely have no alternative due to no path or hemmed in by traffic, then do sl free wheel, not under traction of any kind.

Your bike and the mat are not good friends, the mat gets hurt.

was a busy day indeed.

We has two vehicles on the course in Kalk Bay happily travelling towards the oncoming bunch, blissfully unaware of the road closures. Fortunately managed to convince both to park on the pavement before accelerating down the course to get away from the fast approaching Elite group. Got chased up Chappies by the Lead vehicle (VW Tauregs are quick) and then almost caught by the cyclists at the bottom of Chappies (pro cyclists are even quicker). The first Elites had no sooner finished when a taxi appeared on the course about 500m from the finish line. No idea how he got through the barricades and past the static marshalls. 

I then met up with Leon at the end of the M3 and rode a slow 2nd lap assisting where we could. We stopped to assist at a bad crash just past the Cape Point Nature Reserve entrance - fortunately medics were already in attendance. We fixed a jammed chain, a couple of punctures and even gave two cyclists a quick massage at the bottom of Chappies.

I left home just after 4 in the morning and got home tired but happy just after 4 in the afternoon.

I was watching at Paradise Motors and saw a few BMWMCC riders coming past. One had a camping chair attached to his bike....Andyman no doubt (although there was no feather) and another passed too quickly for me to recognise.

We had a few crashes due to cyclists not keeping their line, but when unseeded faster riders are coming through the "Sunday" riders who are out to enjoy their day there are bound to be tears. I must say these faster riders were generally "rude" to their fellow riders...why don't they bother to enter races and get proper seeding rather than come flying past screaming and shouting.

There were one or two lighter moments like where a large gentleman, who had obviously built up momentum coming down the hill and wanted to use it all up Edinborough Drive, was shouting "groot mens kom deur !"

Well done to all who entered and who marshalled.